F1 Fanatic Round-up

In the round-up: Three-times world champion Sir Jack Brabham has died at the age of 88. Brabham (pictured in 2011 with Mark Webber and Alan Jones) was the only man to win the world championship in his own car, a feat he achieved when he won his third title in 1966.

“Particularly this year, it’s been braking. Working on the simulator last year, analysing data of how hard you hit the brake, the brake pivot position, the master cylinder, different brake material and really focusing on brake settings.”

Damon Hill: “The one-sidedness is one thing that frustrates about Formula One. We should take our hats off to the people who have worked hard and come up with the right answers. But if you are asking us to watch a motor race that is one-and-a-half hours long, it is not so easy.”

Comment of the day

An amusing take on the engine noise debate:

All this harping on about engine noise serves only to distract attention from the real issue. Unnoticed by many, over the last few years drivers’ hair has become more and more bland and uninteresting. Where once we had the individuality and flamboyance of James Hunt and Alain Prost’s unruly visages, we now see only the number 1 buzzcuts and short back and sides sported by the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas.

Inexplicable hairstyles are an important part of the spectacle of F1. They make it more visually appealing and are what the fans want. I mean for god’s sake some of them even have beards! How can it claim to be the pinnacle of motorsport when WEC and NASCAR have more eye-catching coiffures? It’s a disgrace, F1 has lost its way.@KimoniNakamoto

Really sad to hear of Sir Jack’s Passing. My only wish for him would be for a recognition of his achievements at this weekends Monaco Grand Prix, home to his first ever career victory on May 10, 1959.
Rest In Peace, our Australian Legend.

Re: Engines and budget cap.
I just got an idea. Given that new, more expensive engines are exactly the opposite of what FIA was promising when luring new teams in a few years ago, how about if the engine bills of the teams were paid from the F1 earnings before they are divvied up between Bernie/dividends/temas? This way the teams and the vultures would get somewhat less cash, but the teams would also have significantly smaller spending, in effect making the price money more equal accross the field.

Rest in peace Sir Jack. So much more to our sport than just a great driver. He was a great champion, a great innovator and a great ambassador for our sport, and the Brabham name remains one of the most legendary in motor racing.

When Jack was racing pole position was a marker for expected maximum performance during the race maybe a second shy. Today race performance is like a complex video game even when the two best cars with top rated drivers are pushing to their respective limits they are no where near the pole time. If you find this exciting you are obviously easily pleased or have lost a grip of what racing is all about.